By Yunus S Saliu
Honorable Minister of Tourism, Arts, and Culture (MOTAC) last weekend attended the closing ceremony of the Senegalese Students’ Colonies De Vacances 2024 held in The Gambia.
In August, upon the arrival of students with their teachers, Minister Abdoulie Jobe paid them a courtesy visit to make them feel at home throughout their activities and stays in BakadajiHotel in Destination Gambia and also used the opportunity to present some token items to them.
However, the 125 students and teachers wrapped up the one-month Colonie De Vacances known as summer camp break in the country at the host hotel, Bakadaji Hotel, Kololi during the weekend with a series of activities including displaying their practical handwork, speeches, performing arts while JalibaKuyateh and His Kumare Band performed at the dinner to entertain the guests, family, and friends of the invited students.
Among other things was that the summer camp holiday allowed the students to learn more about the host country regarding its culture, tradition history, and visit some places of attraction in the Tourism Development Area (TDA) which will contribute to the promotion of Destination Gambia in Senegal.
Among their handiwork during their stay were bracelets, key holders, bags, flower vases, house wall decorations, and lots more, and some of these students on one-to-one used the occasion to express their dreams as relating to the courses they wish to pursue at the universities,
The students’ performances showed bravery and well-trained students in all aspects of education both in and outside the classroom while their public speaking and composure wereexceptional.
In his farewell message to the teachers and their students, Honourable Abdoullahi Jobe, Minister of Tourism, Arts, and Culture hailed the teachers for professionally handling the students while noting that investment in students is the same thing as investing in the students’ future and of the country.
He emphasized the fact that The Gambia and Senegal have a lot in common in terms of culture and history; and this he noted, could be useful to the students in their educational journey while assuring the organizers of the government’s commitment to continue having similar exchange programs between the two countries, The Gambia and Senegal.
